| 1. |
- Oudin, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Traffic-Related Air Pollution and Dementia Incidence in Northern Sweden : A Longitudinal Study
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives. - : Environmental Health Perspectives. - 0091-6765 .- 1552-9924. ; 124:3, s. 306-312
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Exposure to ambient air pollution is suspected to cause cognitive effects, but a prospective cohort is needed to study exposure to air pollution at the home address and the incidence of dementia.OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess the association between long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution and dementia incidence in a major city in northern Sweden.METHODS: Data on dementia incidence over a 15-year period were obtained from the longitudinal Betula study. Traffic air pollution exposure was assessed with a Land Use Regression Model with a spatial resolution of 50 m x 50 m. Annual mean nitrogen oxide levels at the residential address of the participants at baseline (the start of follow-up) was used as a marker for long-term exposure to air pollution.RESULTS: Out of 1806 participants at baseline, 191 were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease during follow-up, and 111 were diagnosed with vascular dementia. Participants in the highest exposure group were more likely to be diagnosed with dementia (Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia), with a Hazard Ratio (HR) of 1.43 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.998, 2.05 for the highest versus lowest quartile). The estimates were similar for Alzheimer's disease (HR 1.38) and vascular dementia (HR 1.47). The HR for dementia associated for the third quartile versus the lowest quartile was 1.48 (95% CI: 1.03, 2.11). A sub-analysis that excluded a younger sample that had been re-tested after only 5 years of follow-up suggested stronger associations with exposure than in the full cohort (HR = 1.71; 95% CI: 1.08, 2.73 for the highest versus lowest quartile).CONCLUSIONS: If the associations we observed are causal, then air pollution from traffic might be an important risk factor for vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
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| 2. |
- Andersson, John, et al.
(författare)
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PM2.5 exposure and olfactory functions
- 2022
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Ingår i: International Journal of Environmental Health Research. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 0960-3123 .- 1369-1619. ; 32:11, s. 2484-2495
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Growing evidence indicates that air pollution can negatively impact cognitive functions. The olfactory system is interesting in this context as it is directly exposed to pollutants and also associated with cognitive functions. The aim of this study was to investigate long- and short-term PM2.5 exposure in association with olfactory functions. Scores from odor tests were obtained from the Betula project - a longitudinal cohort study. Estimates of annual mean PM2.5 concentrations at the participants' residential address were obtained from a dispersion-model. Daily mean PM2.5 concentrations were obtained from a measuring station close to the test location. We found a positive association between long-term PM2.5 exposure and odor identification, i.e. exposure was associated with a better ability to identify odors. We also found an interaction effect between PM2.5 and age on odor identification. We found no associations between any PM2.5 exposure and odor detection or between short-term PM2.5 exposure and olfactory functions.
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| 3. |
- Azfar, Hossain Syed, et al.
(författare)
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Cardiovascular Disease and Mental Distress Among Ethnic Groups in Kyrgyzstan
- 2021
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Ingår i: Frontiers In Public Health. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2296-2565. ; 9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The purpose of this study was to characterize different ethnic groups in Kyrgyzstan regarding cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mental distress, and to investigate the association between CVD and mental distress. The mental distress was measured in terms of sleep disturbance, burnout, and stress.Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among six ethnic groups in Kyrgyzstan, aged 18 years and above. The sample was stratified for age, education, family status, and income. We used the Karolinska Sleep Questionnaire to assess sleep disturbance, the physical and emotional subscale of the Shirom Melamed Burnout Questionnaire to assess burnout, and the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale to assess perceived stress.Results: The distribution of CVD differed significantly between the six ethnic groups, with higher prevalence among East Europeans, and Western Asians and lower among Other minorities and Central Asians. In all ethnic groups in Kyrgyzstan, individuals with CVD had increased odds of sleep disturbance and burnout. There was a significant difference in burnout and stress between persons with and without CVD in Kyrgyz and East European ethnic groups.Conclusion: There was a significant difference in burnout and stress between persons with and without CVD in Kyrgyz and East European ethnic groups. In addition to CVD prevention, mitigating sleep disturbance and preventing burnout in the general population should be aimed at in public health measures.
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| 4. |
- Cain, William S., et al.
(författare)
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Independence of odor Quality and Absolute Sensitivity in a Study of Aging
- 2008
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Ingår i: Chemosensory Perception. - : Springer. - 1936-5802 .- 1936-5810. ; 1, s. 24-33
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Young, middle-aged, and senior subjects performed tasks designed to examine whether odor quality discrimination varies independently of sensitivity. One task entailed detection of 2-heptanone and the others AB-X discrimination of quality for sets of 2-heptanone and homologues or 2-heptanone and non-ketones. Subjects sought to discriminate either at intensity-matched concentrations far above threshold, but fixed across subjects, or at levels adjusted to neutralize differences in sensitivity. The young and middle-aged groups manifested the same absolute sensitivity, but the senior group poorer sensitivity. Performance in quality discrimination, however, declined progressively. Performance lacked an association with absolute sensitivity, no matter how examined. These data, in conjunction with converging findings from patients with neurological damage, studies of brain imaging, and the relation between concentration and quality discrimination in younger persons, suggest largely independent processing of odor quality and intensity.
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| 5. |
- Claeson, Anna-Sara, et al.
(författare)
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The role of perceived pollution and health risk perception in annoyance and health symptoms : a population-based study of odorous air pollution
- 2013
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Ingår i: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0340-0131 .- 1432-1246. ; 86:3, s. 367-374
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: Health effects associated with air pollution at exposure levels below toxicity may not be directly related to level of exposure, but rather mediated by perception of the air pollution and by top-down processing (e.g., beliefs that the exposure is hazardous). The aim of the study was to test a model that describes interrelations between odorous air pollution at non-toxic exposure levels, perceived pollution, health risk perception, annoyance and health symptoms.METHODS: A population-based questionnaire study was conducted in a Swedish community of residents living near a biofuel facility that emitted odorous substances. Individuals aged 18-75 years were selected at random for participation (n = 1,118); 722 (65 %) agreed to participate. Path analyses were performed to test the validity of the model.RESULTS: The data support a model proposing that exposure level does not directly influence annoyance and symptoms, and that these relations instead are mediated by perceived pollution and health risk perception.CONCLUSIONS: Perceived pollution and health risk perception play important roles in understanding and predicting environmentally induced annoyance and health symptoms in odorous environments at non-toxic levels of exposure.
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| 6. |
- Ekström, Ingrid, et al.
(författare)
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Smell Loss Predicts Mortality Risk Regardless of Dementia Conversion
- 2017
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Ingår i: Journal of The American Geriatrics Society. - : Wiley. - 0002-8614 .- 1532-5415. ; 65:6, s. 1238-1243
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- ObjectivesTo determine whether dementia could explain the association between poor olfactory performance and mortality risk within a decade-long follow-up period.DesignProspective cohort study.SettingBetula Study, Umeå, Sweden.ParticipantsA population-based sample of adult participants without dementia at baseline aged 40 to 90 (N = 1,774).MeasurementsOlfactory performance using the Scandinavian Odor-Identification Test (SOIT) and self-reported olfactory function; several social, cognitive, and medical risk factors at baseline; and incident dementia during the following decade.ResultsWithin the 10-year follow-up, 411 of 1,774 (23.2%) participants had died. In a Cox model, the association between higher SOIT score and lower mortality was significant (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.74 per point interval, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.71-0.77, P < .001). The effect was attenuated, but remained significant, after controlling for age, sex, education, and health-related and cognitive variables (HR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.87-0.97, P = .001). The association between SOIT score and mortality was retained after controlling for dementia conversion before death (HR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.87-0.97, P = .001). Similar results were obtained for self-reported olfactory dysfunction.ConclusionPoor odor identification and poor self-reported olfactory function are associated with greater likelihood of future mortality. Dementia does not attenuate the association between olfactory loss and mortality, suggesting that olfactory loss might mark deteriorating health, irrespective of dementia.
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| 7. |
- Enkvist, Hampus, et al.
(författare)
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Stress, mental ill-health and functional somatic syndromes in incident and chronic sleep disturbance in a general adult population
- 2023
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Ingår i: Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine. - : Taylor & Francis. - 2164-2850. ; 11:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: Sleep disturbance may constitute health problems for the afflicted individual, but documentation of its chronicity is sparse. The objective was to investigate the extent to which incident and chronic sleep disturbance are associated with stress, mental ill-health and functional somatic syndromes.Design: This was a prospective, longitudinal study with 3-year interval between two assessments (T1 and T2), with a population-based sample forming groups with incident sleep disturbance (disturbance only at T2; n = 303), chronic sleep disturbance (disturbance at T1 and T2; n = 343) and without sleep disturbance (neither at T1 nor T2; n = 1421). Questionnaire data were used at T2 of physician-based diagnosis of anxiety disorder, depression, exhaustion syndrome, and functional somatic syndrome as well as of degree of stress, burnout, anxiety and depression.Results: Significant associations were found between chronic sleep disturbance and all four diagnoses (odds ratios = 1.74–2.19), whereas incident sleep disturbance was associated only with exhaustion syndrome and depression (odds ratios = 2.18–2.37). Degree of stress, burnout, anxiety and depression increased significantly from the referents to incident and chronic sleep disturbance, in that order (eta2 = 0.083–0.166), except for the two latter groups not differing in depression.Conclusion: The findings imply that healthcare professionals should be observant regarding various conditions of, apart from stress, mental ill-health and functional somatic syndromes in patients who present themselves with sleep disturbance, and in particular chronic disturbance.
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| 8. |
- Höglund, Per, 1969-, et al.
(författare)
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Impact of group interventions on stress and sleep problems in primary care
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Objectives: The majority of patients who seek help for stress and sleep problems do so in primary health care in Sweden. However, the resources for psychological treatment are limited. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a low-intensity student-led group interventions, applying cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with an indicated prevention approach in primary care for recovery and reducing symptoms of stress and sleep disturbance.Methods: Using a quasi-experimental design, interventions were conducted for stress (n=274, mean age=38 years, 75% women) and sleep (n=106, mean age=44 years, 56% women) problems in consecutively recruited primary care patients. These were compared with a control group (n=221, mean age=45 years, 91% women) recruited via social media. The interventions were CBT-based psychoeducative group interventions that consisted of four 90-min sessions and led by psychology students. Assessment was completed at pre- and post-intervention and at 3-month follow-up. Main outcome measures were the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale and the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Questionnaire for the stress intervention, and the Karolinska Sleep Questionnaire for the sleep intervention. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the 15-item Patient Health Questionnaire were used to assess anxiety, depression and somatization as secondary outcome measures for both interventions. Analysis of covariance (pre- vs post-intervention) and reliable change index (pre-intervention vs three-month follow-up) were applied.Results: Statistically significant, but small effects of improved health in comparison to the control group were found on stress and burnout (η2=.021-.030) in the stress intervention, and on sleep (η2=.017) in the sleep intervention. The proportion of patients in the stress intervention with a reliable improvement at three-month follow-up was 28% for stress and 59% for burnout, and 0% and 33%, respectively, for the control group. Among those with a reliable improvement in burnout, 31% also met a recovery criterion (<4.0). In the sleep intervention, 25% of the patients showed a reliable improvement in sleep and 61% in burnout, and 6% and 33%, respectively, for the control group. The effects of the stress intervention were statistically significant, but small on anxiety and depression (η2=.021-.047), as were the effects of the sleep intervention on stress and burnout (η2=.017-.026). Conclusion: The results suggest that psychology students can effectively provide a low-intensity group-delivered CBT intervention for patients exhibiting symptoms of stress, burnout and sleep disturbance in routine general medical practice, offering promising opportunities for scalability expansion. Although the average treatment effects were small, a substantial proportion of the patients showed reliable improvement or recovery at 3-month follow-up. This suggests that the interventions decrease the prevalence of burnout and sleep disturbance or improve the well-being of individuals experiencing mental distress.
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| 9. |
- Höglund, Per, et al.
(författare)
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Risk factors for insomnia and burnout : a longitudinal population-based cohort study
- 2023
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Ingår i: Stress and Health. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1532-3005 .- 1532-2998. ; 39:4, s. 798-812
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Insomnia and burnout are highly prevalent in the general population, calling for understanding of its causes. Taking a broad approach, the aim of this study was to determine various mental and somatic risk factors for development of insomnia and burnout and stratifying for sex and age group. Questionnaire data were used from a Swedish population-based sample aged 18–79 years, from which cohorts without insomnia (n = 1702) and without burnout (n = 1972) at baseline were followed-up after 3 years. Self-reports of eight mental and somatic conditions at baseline were used as independent variables in logistic regression analyses to predict development of insomnia and burnout at 3-year follow-up. All eight studied conditions were significant risk factors for development of both insomnia (odds ratio, OR = 1.62–2.73) and burnout (OR = 2.20–3.21). Burnout and poor self-rated health had the highest ORs for insomnia, and poor self-rated health, anxiety and somatic symptoms had the highest ORs for burnout. The ORs were generally similar between men and women, whereas age groups tended to differ in some of the risk factors. The study highlights the importance of a broad assessment of both mental and somatic conditions in the prevention of insomnia and burnout.
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| 10. |
- Höglund, Per, 1969-
(författare)
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Stress, sleep disturbance, and related ill-health : from prevalence and risk-factors to indicated interventions
- 2024
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- With focus on stress-related ill-health and insomnia/sleep disturbance, the overall aim of this thesis was to determine severity and prevalence, risk factors and effectiveness of low-intensity group sessions. This was accomplished by taking epidemiological and quasi-experimental approaches. With the aim of examining symptom severity and prevalence of insomnia, burnout, anxiety, depression, and somatization across different age groups and sexes, Study I used cross-sectional data (n=3406) from the baseline data collection of the Västerbotten Environmental Health Study (VEHS). In comparison to men, women in most age groups exhibited higher levels of symptom severity and prevalence of caseness in various mental health conditions. Insomnia (28.6%) and burnout (17.3%) were common in the population.With focus on risk factors for insomnia and burnout, Study II used a longitudinal design and VEHS data (n=1702–1972) to compare a range of mental and somatic conditions in a general population. The results showed that all examined health conditions were risk factors for cases of insomnia and burnout. For example, insomnia can increase the risk of developing burnout (odds ratio: 2.67), and burnout increase the risk of developing insomnia (odds ratio: 2.73), underscoring the importance of early detection and prevention. The aim of Study III was to examine the effectiveness of four low-intensity group sessions for stress (n=274) and sleep disturbance (n=106) conducted by psychology students. A non-randomized controlled trial design was used in primary care with naturally occurring groups. A control group (n=221) was recruited via social media. Whereas effects were small at post-treatment, a substantial proportion of the patients showed a reliable improvement or recovery at 3-month follow-up. This thesis provides support for the assumption that severity and prevalence of insomnia, burnout, anxiety, depression, and somatization are common in the population. Burnout and insomnia are mutual risk factors and underscore the importance of indicated prevention in primary care. Low-intensity group interventions facilitated by non-experts can be effective and scalable for patients with stress and sleep disturbance.
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